Heartbeat
by EmmyLovett
Summary: Emma/Will oneshot turned threeshot. The first chapter tells you pretty much everything you need to know. I'm real bad at the these, so I hope you like it, please read and review! Emily
1. The Morning After

**_Heartbeat_**

**_The Morning After..._**

Will rolled over, the covers that were draped over his body slipping to the mattress. He opened his eyes, expecting to be able to wrap his arms around the girl who had accompanied him home last night. His arms fell limp by his side, the covers warm, still creased to where she had been laying.

"Em?" Will called through the house, jumping from the bed, pulling his boxers on as he ran onto the landing. "Are you still here?" Silence met his question. "No?" He groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Just another stupid mistake then – right?" Will sighed to himself, thinking back to the previous night. They hadn't been drunk, but it was safe to say there was a fair amount of alcohol intoxicating their blood. Will had been sure Emma was adamant she wanted to go back to his. Maybe she was better at covering how inebriated she actually was than Will thought. Trudging back to his bed he flopped against the covers, shouting into the pillow, venting his anger and his disappointment.

The alarm clock rang through the walls as it did every morning, but the thought of throwing a sickie seemed more appealing than ever. The prospect of seeing Emma let alone working with her worried him more than he knew how to deal with it. Had it been any other girl, he was sure he'd be able to up and forget about her with the shenanigans of the station, but not Emma. It didn't help that she would inevitably end up being right in the thick of whatever chaos London brings. Talk about Sod's Law.

- - -

Emma sat curled up on a wooden bench in the female locker rooms. She had promised herself that she wouldn't ever go near a colleague or anyone even remotely connected to the Met again. Gentle sobs shook her body as she tried to gain breath and calm herself down. Emma had already seen the pairings on the notice board outside of the Meetings Room, and that was exactly why she didn't want to get involved with anyone from the station. The awkward morning after situations never got any easier no matter how many times you slept with someone.

"Wha'choo doin' in so early?" Emma was taken aback by the second female who had joined her in the locker room. Abruptly pushing the tears from her cheeks, she looked up from her lap, seeing Nikki crouched before her, a look of deepest worry etched to her brow.

"I couldn't sleep…" It wasn't a complete lie. Emma could barely concentrate when Will was in the room, let alone when his arms were tightly wrapped around her body, pulling them closer together. Nikki sighed, placing her hand on Emma's shoulder squeezing it slightly, her worried eyes changing to reflect deep sympathy. "It's nothing bad… just insomnia. Or something." Emma frowned, shaking her head, dismissing the thoughts from her mind. Or so she liked to think.

"Sure it was." Nikki sighed. She sat on the bench opposite. "I'm guessing its bloke troubles." Emma groaned, her head falling to her lap.

"Am I that easy to read?" She asked. Nikki smiled and shook her head.

"I don't ever remember being as cut up as you are about anything but… boys. They mess with your 'ead, use you for one thing; and then – well, nothin'." Emma shook her head, determined to believe that Will wasn't like that.

"Will's not like that." Emma said, before crashing her hand over her mouth, blushing furiously. "Forget I said that." Emma cringed. "Please?" Nikki nodded, keen to squeeze as much from Emma as possible, knowing she'd work better for it. Her intentions weren't just work related though, Nikki hated to see her troops so cut up over someone or something. "Anyway, it was me that left him. I mean it saves us the… y'ano… just friends speech."

"Hypothetically speaking Emma, I don't think _any _of the men in this station have what it takes to use girls. Some of them might have a bit of history but… well… naah; they just aren't capable of it. So maybe – there wouldn't have been that speech. Maybe you've got him feelin' as low as you. Y'ano what Emma – They're coppas' they… learn a bit of tact and maturity." Emma snorted.

"Tact. They have no idea." She giggled, wiping the remains of tears from below her eye.

"That's more like it!" Nikki laughed. "You and Will…" Emma glared at her superior. "I know… I know, just. Wait… one second…" Emma sighed and nodded, looking at the door worried. "Well you and Will. I don't know what's going on apart from what you've told me. I don't really wanna know anymore either – I've had my fair share of tangled and messy flings – trust me." Emma smiled, it was of some reassurance to know that Nikki did get where she was coming from. "And trust me, I've made one too many promises that I wouldn't get involved with X or Y – but… well, you end up going and doing just that 'coz they're off limits. Yano?"

"God yeah." Emma sighed. "Only too well."

"Well Doug was my Y… and, look at us now. You and Will always seem pretty close friends. Ya never know; he might just be your Y too." Emma looked at Nikki, her deep, cryptic speech confusing her, but also making her realise that however tough exterior Nikki put on for work, she really was a normal human being underneath it all. Looking deep into her heart Emma felt herself wash into a daydream like state.

"Yeah… I hope so." She said distantly.

"Then I think you have a bit of explaining to do missy." Nikki said, standing up suddenly, making Emma jump from her trance. "Your shift starts in ten minutes – you have no excuse of being late today."

"Wait." Emma said, raising her voice across the room before Nikki left. She turned around just before leaving the room.

"Yeah?"

"Do you expect me to tell Will what I told you?" Nikki smiled and shrugged.

"How you wanna play it Emma." Nikki paused. "Is totally up to you." She smiled briefly, before floating from the room, leaving Emma staring at the place by the door where she had stood.

Emma groaned, angry with Nikki for being so helpful, and then so quick to leave, knowing Emma's mind was over flowing with 'what ifs' and 'maybes'. After the advice Nikki had given, neither Sally nor Beth could come close. Talking to someone who knew what you were going through – it really did help. Emma got off the bench and opened her locker, pulling out her hairbrush, mascara and lip-gloss. Moping about in her sorrows definitely wasn't the way to show Will that she cared.

After quickly glancing in the mirror one final time, Emma threw her cosmetics back into her locker, happy with her appearance. Flicking her fringe from behind her ear she bounced to the opposite side of the room, ignoring any strange looks officers from the previous shift were giving her, and moreover the girls working with her were.

"I want some of what she's having." Beth grinned, watching Emma. Sally looked up from the floor at Emma.

"She's in way to good mood for…" She checked the clock on the opposite wall. "Seven thirty – in the friggin' morning. Gaah… I swear if I'm paired with her, I'll kill myself." Beth giggled to herself. Sally wasn't a morning person. And the strange thing – neither was Emma. Usually. She wanted to know what had changed; and, Beth being Beth vowed not to let the subject drop until she knew exactly what had.

_I'm doing all I can do just be close to you, _

_Every time that we meet I skip a heartbeat, _

_Always up for a laugh she's a pain in the arse, _

_Every time that we meet I skip a heartbeat._

Emma kept her eyes trained to the floor, dodging the many feet that lined the corridors ignoring the voice of one officer she really didn't want to meet just yet. Glad to see the Meetings Room was getter ever closer, she basked in the privacy it reined over her. Possibly the one place she'd be alone for the rest of the day, the one place she'd be able to think without having to cover for herself and risk embarrassment or endless questioning.

"Ignoring him really in't the way t'go."

Or not.

"I just need to get myself sorted first. Work out what to say without making a fool outta myself." Emma explained.

"Just as long as you realise it's all probably… a lot easier said than done."

"Isn't everything?" Emma moaned.

"Loves a fools game… if you risk playing it, then you gotta risk the consequences." Nikki said. Emma couldn't help being surprised at yet another fresh take on Sergeant Wright. There was definitely a lot to her that didn't meet the eye.

"Spoken like I true cynic." Smithy laughed, joining the girls after dumping some files on the front desk.

"Serge." Emma smiled, acknowledging Smithy; taking a seat close to the back of the room.

Nikki followed Emma to the back of the room; obvious to her Dale was completely oblivious to the telepathic messages she was attempting to send him.

"You're paired with him today… right?" Emma nodded.

"Which is why I wanted to get everything sorted up here." Emma tapped the temples of her head.

"Good girl." Nikki looked behind her and sighed, remembering where she was. "I gotta say this Emma, and I know that you will, but just make sure you keep your head in the game."

"Don't worry Serge." Emma said reassuringly, motioning her eyes towards the door as the relief started to filter in with varying parts of their uniform missing. Nikki stood from the chair, which was immediately occupied by Beth. Glad she'd sat in the corner, Emma chanced a look up at Will, who seemed to have got the earlier hint from Emma and stayed close to the front. In fact, he appeared to be as far away from Emma as possible.

* * *

**_This was meant as a oneshot, but I seem to like three-parters at the moment, it's all I seem to be able to write! My attention span is way shorter than usual (not good!) but anyway, I'm pretty happy with how this has turned out. Please read and review with what you think and I'll try and UD soon. _**

**_Em!_**

**_PS:- thanks to Jilly, who as usual has given me some good advice and support on this one... and maybe, kinda, sorta shunted me in the direction of it being a three-parter as opposed to a one shot. _**


	2. My Everything

Emma let her hand drop from the side of her head to the door handle, her head gently knocking against the car window, the cool

Emma let her hand drop from the side of her face to the door handle, her head gently knocking against the car window, the cool glass freezing her insides. She opened the door, stepping out onto the Bronte Estate, for the first time in what felt like hours, breathing in the fresh air – or as fresh as it got in London.

Emma started to walk down a set of steps to a notorious subway. The light on the side of the concrete wall flickered slightly, before it went off, concealing the rest of the subway in darkness as far as the eye could see. Shivers chilled Emma's spine as she walked under the cracking roof; damp lacy spider webs brushing over her face.

"543 to 361." Emma ignored the crackling sound of her radio, turning the volume right down as she continued to tip toe through the confines of the passageway. Hearing a car door slam somewhere in the distance, Emma stopped for second, her heart racing.

"Emma?" Emma sped up, hearing footsteps pound the stairwell. Glancing behind her, a silhouette was fast approaching her. "Emma!" The same voice sounded more exasperated. The air between Emma's fingers moved quickly, before she felt someone close the gap between their hands. "What are you playin' at?" Will asked, pulling Emma back towards him. He looked around, peering around the corner. "It's pitch black, you don't have any radio signal…" He continued, his voice hushed. "…Anyone could be just around the corner."

Emma shrugged Will from her, darting to the side of the wall, craning her neck around the ninety-degree turn. "There… no one." Emma said stubbornly, carrying on walking, almost enjoying not quite knowing where she was going, who she was heading towards or what was lurking in the shadows. Will followed Emma, keeping a small distance between them. "And anyway… my radio is fine." Emma fiddled with the switch that Will knew only too well silenced the sound. Hurt tore through his body as he realised it was him she was trying to 'mute'.

"Why are you doing this?" Will asked.

"Doing what?"

"_This_…" Will waved his hands around them. "Since when do you get out of the Area car without telling your Beat partner where you're going, then go down into a place you know is one of the most established dealing hotspots in London, let alone Canley?" Emma stayed silent, looking around wide-eyed. It was hard to believe it was a crime spot – right now, there was no one to be seen. Will grabbed Emma's shoulders, his fingers digging into her collarbone with force only he knew how to exert with out hurting someone. "What if I was some psycho off his face on Smack?" Will pressed his lips so close to Emma's ear she could feel every breath he took. "What if I was no where to be seen and you couldn't get hold of someone? What if he'd just pulled a knife from his shirt?" Suddenly a heaving guilt came crashing down over Emma, it hadn't just been dangerous what she'd done, but completely selfish.

"I'm sorry…" Emma said softly, closing her eyes, hoping to be able to blink back the tears in her eyes. Images from last night roamed free in her mind, and she didn't attempt to stop them. It was quite obvious her apology had meant something different to what she had first thought.

"What for?" Will smiled softly, not wanting to lift his fingers from Emma's shoulders. "It's not my life you just put in serious danger."

"You know what for." Emma said, resting her left cheek over Will's hand.

"Sierra one to 361, reports of an IC1 male acting suspiciously along the Burry Canal opposite the disused warehouses." The crackling noise faded over a few seconds, but the silence between the pair dragged on.

"Do I?" Will asked, his voice low and hoarse, pretending that he and Emma hadn't been interrupted by the CAD call out.

"Yeah… you do." Emma dropped Will's hands from her shoulders, immediately feeling numb and shaky, as if her legs had turned to jelly and they were about to give way. She stood on tiptoes, softly pressing her lips to Will's cheek, letting her fingers trail down his skin on the other side. Emma let go of her breath, her heart beating fast as she turned around, picking up her speed slowly, and bringing her radio to her mouth.

"361 to Sierra one, me and 543 are about twenty minutes away. We'll be over as quickly as possible." Emma sat in the car, pulling the seat belt over her body just as Will got back to the car. He still had a fairly dazed fashion about him, so much so, Emma wasn't sure she should let him loose at the Area Car. "Are you ok to drive?" She asked, concerned. Will looked at Emma and nodded, before turning his attention back to the controls on the dashboard and strategically pressing several buttons and flicking some dials.

- - -

Emma jumped out of the car, dashing over the bridge, towards an old precarious looking pier. Approaching the young man carefully, Emma watched her stepping aware that the rails that had run along either side a few meters back had finished.

"Hi… I'm Emma Keane from Sun Hill." Emma introduced herself as the male turned around. He had red blotchy lines running down his face and his eyes were puffy and glassy looking. He turned back around, looking over the canal, his legs hanging over the end of pier. "Can I come and sit down?" She asked. The man nodded, not moving to look at her. "What's your name?" Emma asked, her heart pounding in her throat as she saw the drop beneath them. Will stood on the bridge, watching Emma's fluid movements, just able to catch her words.

"Andy Tucker." He said quietly. Emma looked at his hands; they were white where they were gripping to the slatted, weathered wood and his wrists were shaking uncontrollably.

"What's happened Andy?" Emma asked gently. She saw Andy tense out of the corner of her eye. She didn't look to her right, she just concentrated on not letting him or Will know she quite so terrified. A single tear trickled down Andy's face.

"Er… my girlfriend…" Sobs shook through his body as he tried to compose himself. "She's been diagnosed with Cancer… they don't know… like y'ano…" He shifted shyly and looked at Emma. "She isn't much older than you… they don't even know if she'll make her twen'y fourth birthday." Emma unfolded her fingers from around the wood, and placed them on Andy's shoulder.

"I'm almost twenty six." Emma smiled uneasily. "But… thanks." Emma glanced at Will who put his thumbs up encouragingly. It had been the first bit of communication since they had left the Bronte and it wasn't spoken, but it made Emma feel a whole lot better. "Look… your girlfriend… she needs you to be with her. I know you think that everything's over and finished because she's got so ill, but the doctors and nurses are performing all kind of miracles now a days. Cancer isn't the end for people any more." Andy looked up from the depths of the water.

"But… I can't loose Zara. She's everything to me."

"If she knew what you were contemplating Andy, I think she'd be thinking the same." Emma paused and bit her lip. "If you really love her, then, even when the going gets tough, when you have to say things you don't want to and when you have do things you don't want to." Again Emma paused and looked at Will, the words choking her. "You'll stick by her, and you won't let her down – and in return… in return Andy, she won't let you down either. Don't do this, keep strong for her. It'll hurt, and yeah, it'll be hard work – but you two could have a future together." Emma pulled her legs from over the pier, crawling backwards slightly before she stood up, holding her hand out Andy to take. Andy looked at Emma, then Will and then at the water. "Come on…" Emma pleaded, closing her eyes as she felt her head spin.

Breathing a sigh of relief as she felt Andy's hand tug on her own. He stood up, still clinging to Emma's hand as if for moral support and stop himself turning around and going back to Plan A.

"I promised myself I wouldn't let anyone talk me down." Andy said, clearly shaken up. His eyes were shiny as ever and Emma could feel his body start to shake as he reached the stability of the concrete.

"Well I'm glad you let me." Emma said softly. "Look… over there…" Emma pointed to Will who was walking towards the pair. "Is Will, and he's my Beat partner… we'll take you to St Hugh's and then you can get checked over…"

"I'm not going to hospital. I don't want anyone to know." Andy said defiantly, stepping backwards.

"Ok, ok… but let our FME check you over. Please, it's for the best… and then we'll take you to see Zara." Andy looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding, dropping Emma's hand as Will approached. "Thank you." Emma smiled sincerely, before she started making her way back towards the car, every few meters glancing behind her as if to check Andy was still there.

- - -

"I heard about today Emma." Nikki said, catching up with Emma as she stepped form the female changing rooms, her hold all slung over her shoulder. "Well done. It's hard talking someone down… Will said you really reached out to him." Emma smiled.

"I tried…" She shrugged. "He was really in a bad way… his girlfriend has Cancer. It made me think… he obviously really loves her… yet there's a chance he couldn't be with her. It doesn't make sense why Will and I are being given all these chances… yet we seem to be turning them down; where as Andy and Zara have it all… yet it's about to be taken away from them." Nikki sighed.

"Always the way huh?" Emma smiled and nodded.

"I've decided I'm going to go around to Will's later and try and fix what happened. Maybe nothing will come of it, but at least then we'll both know where we're standing instead of tip-toeing around each other."

"I was always told that you know you've had a hard day at work when a case you've worked on has made you want to change your life."

"Andy… there's something about him… he's more than just a case…" Emma took Nikki aback, it wasn't that she didn't like officers voicing their opinions, but she'd never known Emma get emotionally involved in a case before. "I get the feeling this won't be the last we see of him. But next time… I don't think he'll be about to take his own life." Nikki frowned and looked around, as if to check Emma wasn't going completely crazy. "Just a gut feeling you know…" Nikki shook her head.

"No… I have no idea… but I'm glad." Emma grinned and bounced off down the corridor, pulling her hair first from the tight bun that was held in place by one elastic band, and then the rough plait she'd pushed her hair into. She'd already decided tonight was going to be so different from last night.

* * *

**_Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter one! Is much appreciated - _**

**_Please keep it up :D_**

**_Em xxx_**


	3. Now or Never

"It's now or never.' Emma thought to herself as she sat down on the stairs, pulling some leather wedges from the shoe wrack by the door before slipping her feat into them.

Emma stepped out of the door, her thin blouse letting the wind blow right through her. She was unable to control the shivers that rippled over her body every time the wind whipped up around her along the short walk between her and Will's house. The sky was filled a with red, pink and orange tones, much like someone had gone along with a paint brush and haphazardly washed watery colours over a canvas. The sun was just setting over the larger buildings that lined the horizon, the tall thin lines casting eerie shadow over the roads and pathways.

The road that Will lived up was only too familiar, not least because she lived up a street almost identical, but because she spent near enough all her spare time lounging around with Will. It was just one Sunday Emma had notice things begin to change.

"Eww mushy scene!" Emma grumbled, hiding her face behind a cushion as the male character swept the female from her feet, spinning her around and around in his arms before they tumbled against the bed, her legs wrapped around his waist, their lips locked in a tight, passionate embrace. Will smirked at Emma, pulling her into him, confiscating the pillow that she'd pressed before her face and whacking her over the head with it.

"_I don't want your slap on the cushion, thank you very much." Will said matter of factly, looking down at Emma. Emma giggled and batted her eyelashes innocently. Will's hand slipped lower down Emma's back, and suddenly, she'd found it hard to breathe, hard to think and hard to function normally. He seemed to tower over her, his chocolaty eyes penetrating her as she tried desperately not to look away, but at the same time, not let him know she was flushing hot and cold at his touch. Will's eyes grew bigger, but in reality, he was just getting closer and closer to Emma. Her heart felt like it went into overdrive, before it finally stopped, in the last second as she turned to face away from Will, closing her eyes and praying he wasn't about to do what she thought. "If only looks weren't so deceiving." Will breathed. Emma opened her eyes, the at-first blurred image unfolding to make so much sense. He was leant close to her; his lips were inches from her cheek, his eyes were closed. "I bet the Super reckons you're a right little goody-two-shoes." _

"_Wh…what he don't know won't hurt him." Emma replied cheekily, her voice hoarse and almost silent under the immense pressure the situation she was in heaved upon her. _

Emma brought the back of her hand to her cheek, realising that her cheeks were burning after being caught off guard re-living the brief encounter between her and Will. She looked around, wondering if anyone could see her.

Emma grinned to herself and shook her head; amused, before bouncing up the concrete pathway, letting the steel doorknocker fall against the plastic several times, only when she saw Will's silhouette nearing behind the glass did she begin to feel nervous as she remembered why she was there, and not curled up under her duvet watching whatever rubbish happened to be playing on the box that night.

"Oh." Will couldn't quite keep the surprised look at bay from his face. His eyes seemed to light up, and suddenly he didn't look quite so rough around the edges, but a little more presentable.

"Hi…" Emma smiled shyly, looking up at Will, biting on her thumbnail nervously. "Sorry it's a little unexpected, it's not a bad time or anything is it?" Will glanced behind him quickly. "If it is…"

"No… course not." Will moved to the side to let Emma in. "I'm never to busy for you." He said quietly, almost like he was only supposed to think that rather than say it aloud. Emma stepped into the house, kicking her shoes off and pushing them to the side, not making eye contact with Will as she tried to stop herself blurting her feelings out all in one go. "Do you want a drink?" Will asked, Emma knew this was purely out of courtesy, maybe even to prolong the time until Emma could say what she had come to divulge.

"I'm good, thank you." Emma hung around by the door, waiting for Will to walk through to the lounge, but he didn't move. "You ain't gonna make this easy are you?" Emma muttered to herself, making that the second thing that evening that was meant to go unsaid.

"I take it…" Will pointed towards the lounge grimacing at how difficult this was becoming.

"Hang on." Emma opened the door, quickly sliding her feel back into her shoes, her ankles pressing down the backs of the shoe. "Let's start again." She grinned shaking her head and hopping down the step between Will's house and the path. She closed the door, before counting to ten in her head and knocking on the door, waiting for it to be re-opened again. Will grinned down at her, feigning shock albeit very badly.

"Emma!" Will smirked, letting her in. "'Fraid the footie's on." Emma groaned, not waiting for Will's invitation into the lounge, but walking in anyway as she usually did. She turned the TV off and walked over to the sofa, on the way getting sidetracked by the many photos lining the mantelpiece. Finally snapping back into reality, Emma sat down on the chair next to Will. She looked around, before turning her attention to Will.

"Now that's better." Emma said.

"That; was the FA cup semi finals." Will said, trying to be unimpressed as stared on at the blank TV screen longingly. "You see what I put myself through when you come around? What sacrifices I have to make for you?"

"I am honoured Will… but this is important." Emma sighed to herself and swallowed hard, closing her eyes and wincing, as the lump digging into her throat grew a little more. Doing it now as opposed to earlier really wasn't going to be much different. She still had to say the same, but now, Will would be expecting more of her. "I don't whether you'll agree with anything I'm about to say… but it's taken a lot to get me over here, so… well. I dunno what I can ask of you really – y'ano considering…" Will placed his hand on Emma's knee as she tucked her foot under her body, manoeuvring her body slightly so she faced Will a little more, making it difficult for her to opt out of the eye contact. "This morning… I was really scared of the consequences of our actions, and a part of me still is." Emma paused as Will took a sharp intake of breath, he had known this was the point of her visit, but hearing her speak the words he'd imagined her speaking all day hit home harder than he thought they would. "But I shouldn't have just… left. It was wrong on so many levels and I'm really not proud of myself."

Will shrugged, there was something about the way he did so that suggested it was half hearted and not really what he wanted to do.

"Don't worry about it." Will dismissed.

"I'm not worried." Emma said hotly. "Because at the end of the day it's up to you. Last night, I convinced you that I wanted to sleep with you, that I was happy for you to take me home." Will winced at the blunt and direct form of Emma's words. "And I was… I did want it."

"Was… did…" Will echoed slowly.

"And if we were in the same position tonight, or tomorrow night or next week, then I'd make the same decision a million times over." Emma couldn't help but smirk over how cheesy and tacky her words could have sounded, but there was something stopping them sounding vulgar – there was a passion deep down in her that was reflected in what she spoke and how she said it.

"What are you tryin' t'say?" Will asked, sitting forward as Emma did. Emma leant forward a little further so her breath could bounce off Will's face. Closing the gap between them, she let their lips clash as the passion the day had left simmering was let lose. Will's hand sunk to Emma's waist, his fingers finding the hem of her blouse, before he pushed it up slightly, letting his fingers massage small circles into her hip bone as she pulled him closer to her, her hands clamped tightly around his neck. Emma pulled away, after pecking his lips once more a sign that it wasn't a dream, it wasn't a fantasy but it was all happening, and this time, Emma wasn't going to take it away from him quite so quickly.

"That's what I'm trying to say."

* * *

Sorry I haven't UD'd recently, but with exams and stuff I haven't had chance, but I've finished my exams and everything else that I've had so hopefully the UD;s will be a little faster flowing :D

Hope you like the fic

Em xxx

PS - This is for everyone who reviewed - Kat, as1999, Abi, shopgirl192, Hollie and of course Jilly! Luv ya all x


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